University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Picked Tied For Sixth Place in CAA Softball Preseason Poll
1/31/2018 11:21:00 AM | Softball
RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Delaware softball team was picked in a tie for sixth place in the 2018 Colonial Athletic Association Preseason Poll announced by the conference on Wednesday.
James Madison, last year's regular season and tournament champion, received six of eight first place votes and finished on top of the poll with 48 points. League tournament runner-up Hofstra was picked second with 43 points and garnered the other two first place votes, while the College of Charleston was selected third with 35 points.
UNCW was picked fourth with 29 points, followed by Elon with 26 points. Delaware and Towson tied for sixth place with 18 points, while Drexel was picked eighth with seven points.
Delaware, which will be led by third-year head coach John Seneca, returns 12 letterwinners and nine starters for the 2018 season. The Blue Hens went 24-29 last season, and advanced to the CAA Tournament for the second straight year with a 10-11 league mark.
The Blue Hens will be led by senior first baseman Mariah Kondravy, a second team All-Northeast Region and All-CAA selection a year ago when she batted .365 with 62 hits and 19 doubles. Junior catcher Anna Steinmetz, who earned first team all-league honors in 2017, hit .363 while leading the squad with 11 home runs and 45 RBI.
Senior infielders Giovanna Kolofer, who batted .324 a year ago, and Leanna Gearhart, who hit .315, also return for a potent Delaware lineup. The pitching staff will be led by Jordan Cargile, who won 17 games a year ago, along with Sarah Piening and Maddi Marsh.
Delaware kicks off its 2018 campaign on Feb. 16-17 at the Auburn Tournament, and opens its home schedule against Villanova and Cornell on Mar. 17.
2018 Colonial Athletic Association Softball Preseason Poll
1. James Madison – 48 (6 first place votes)
2. Hofstra – 43 (2)
3. College of Charleston – 35
4. UNCW – 29
5. Elon – 26
T6. Delaware – 18
T6. Towson – 18
8. Drexel – 7
MEDIA CONTACT: Kevin Tritt | ktritt@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8715 | Cell: 302-383-5005
